Electric switch



Nov. 2, 1954 A. BRUNO ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Feb. 15 1951 INVENTOR Angel Bruno 5 ATTORNEYS FIG.4.

United StatesPatent Ofiice ELECTRIC SWITCH Angel Eruno, Buenos Aires, Argentina Application February 15, 1951, Serial No. 211,005 2 Claims. (Cl. 200-153) The present invention relates to a novel and improved electric switch, and an object of the invention is the provision of a construction which has various advantages or improvements over those of other switches so far in use.

One of the novel characteristic features of the present invention consists in that the switch comprises control means consisting of an operating element constituted by a magnetic bar articulately connected to the control means, the free end of which is susceptible of keeping, by means of magnetic action, in permanent contact with a swinging element able to actuate an operated movable element.

Another novel characteristic feature of the present invention consists in that the control means consists of at least one member articulately mounted and disposed inside a window conveniently provided in the body of a front plate, on the back of which is mounted at least one box of dielectric material housing the switch mechanism, said front plate being provided moreover at convenient points with at least two projections protruding over the back of same, projections which are susceptible of being plugged into corresponding sockets or bushings disposed on a support element.

Another novel characteristic of the present invention consists in that the operated movable element is constituted by a sheetlike element consisting of at least three tongues, the middle one of which is longer than the side tongues, said tongues being hooked at their free lower end and disposed under certain tension in a hearing conveniently provided in the body of an organ jointly fixed with the intermediate tongue of the operated movable element inside the mechanism housing box. This sheetlike element is endowed with a certain degree of flexibility and is self-regulating both in its closed and open positions.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent in the further description and specification for the purpose of which drawings are attached hereto, by way of example, wherein:

Figure l is a fragmentary and diagrammatic view of the new and improved switch with the movable operating element in working position.

Figure 2 is a view identical with that of Figure 1 but with the movable operating element in idle position.

Figure 3 is a view in perspective of the sheetlike element constituting the operated movable element.

Figure 4 is a view in perspective of the organ supporting the two shorter side tongues of the sheetlike element.

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view of the sheetlike element in working position; and

Figure 6 is a view identical with that of Figure 5 but with the sheetlike element in idle position.

With reference now to the accompanying drawings, the new and improved switch comprises an element 1 having the form of a balance element eccentrically swinging on an axle 2 and operatively connected on one side by means of a connecting member 3 to an operated movable element 4, one end of which is connected to one of the terminals 7 whilst the other end of the operated movable element is provided with a contact 5 separable from the counter-contact 6 connected to a second terminal 7 and, on the other side, by means of a magnetized bar 8 one end of which, further away from the balance element, is articulately connected to the operating means 9 constituted by at least one element articulately suspended inside an opening 10 provided in the body of a 2,693,520 Patented Nov. 2, 1954 front plate 11 hearing on its inner face a protecting box 12 in which the switch mechanism is housed, this inner face of the front plate 11 being provided at conveniently spaced points with protruding projections 13 susceptible of being plugged into sockets or bushings 14 disposed on a mounting plate 15. The means 9 consist of a plate which is pivoted to the plate 11 and which is located in the window 10 of the plate 11. The plate 9 is maintained in a position flush with the plate 11 by a spring 23; it is swingable clockwise by pressure which may be exerted by a finger of the user.

The operated movable element 4 can be constituted by a sheetlike element consisting of at least three tongues 16, 17 and 18, the intermediate tongue being longer than the lateral tongues, said tongues being hooked at their free lower end and disposed under certain tension in a seat 19 having the form of a groove conveniently provided in the body of an organ 20 jointly fixed with the intermediate tongue 16 provided with an opening 21 coinciding with the opening 22 in the organ inside the mechanism housing box 12 to the body of the same and connected to the terminal 7.

The operated movable element constituted by a sheetlike element is endowed with a certain degree of flexibility and is self-regulating both in its closed and in its open position.

The mounting of the switch is extremely simple insofar as it is only necessary to connect the ends of the cables to the terminals 7 and 7' and plug the protruding portions 13 of the front plate 11 into the sockets 14 of the supporting element fixed to the box embedded in the Wall for the switch to be ready to work.

The switch of the present invention operates as follows:

When the control element 9 which is articulately connected in its upper end is pushed inwardly and against the expansion force of the elastic retraction element 23, the object of which is to make the control element return to its initial position after the pressure to which it has been exposed is removed, the magnetized bar 8 which assumes the position illustrated in Figure 2 operates the swinging element 1 causing a partial rotation of same around its eccentric axis 2 the rotation of which is transformed by the connecting member 3 into a pushing force actuating the operated movable element 4 which changes from its disconnected position with respect to the contact 6 to the connected position with said contact so that the circuit is closed. Since the sheetlike element consisting of three tongues overcomes in the course of its travel the force which keeps the operated movable element at a certain distance from the counter-contact 6, inverting it due to the tension to which the two lateral tongues 17 and 18 are exposed, the sheetlike element comes into contact with the countercontact 6, as illustrated in Figure 1. Thus the bar 1 swings from the position shown in Figure 1 upon the member 1 to the position shown in Figure 2, and back to the position of Figure 1, and so on.

The above-described change of position of the swinging element 1 switches the magnetized bar from its downwardly tilted position to its upwardly tilted position. When the pressure against the control element 9 is repeated in the same direction as previously, said magnetized bar rotates the swinging element in opposite direction, thus exposing the connecting element 3 to traction, which element pulls the operated movable element causing the same efiect as before but in opposite direction, i. e. the sheetlike element is separated from the counter-contact 6, thus breaking the circuit.

In spite of the fact that the magnetized bar having assumed the position illustrated in Figure l is exposed to the action of gravity, the moment of the force resulting from its weight with respect to the virtual axis of articulation, said element does not lose its position of apparently unstable balance, due to the fact, as already exposed, that the magnetic attraction between the magnetized bar and the swinging element consequently gives a moment which can be included into what is termed as magnetic moment, the vectorial modulus of which is higher than the modulus of the vector resulting from the moment given by the weight of the magnetized bar, multiplied by the distance from its above-mentioned virtual axis of articulation. Said bar of said swinging element 1 is a permanent magnet magnetized in accord ance with the degree of magnetization required to have the bar maintain contacts with the swinging element.

It is understood that suitable modifications may be made in the structure of the present invention of which one embodiment is here disclosed, provided such modifications come within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, what is claimed to be new and desired to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In an electric switch having a resilient overcenter snap acting contact'arm designed to be snapped to the on and oil positions; a device for moving the contact arm to the on and ofl positions, the device comprising a cam-like element, means for pivotally securing the cam-like element forwardly to the contact arm in a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane thereof, a connecting arm pivotally disposed intermediate the camlike element and the contact arm and to one side of the pivotal mounting means of the cam-like element, the cam-like element having a recess formed in the periphery thereof on the side opposite the contact arm, a 25 permanently magnetized rod coacting with the recess, the magnetized rod having a stroke sufficient to move the contact arm through the cam-like element and connecting arm to a point beyond the dead center of the contact arm, and means for applying a force to the free end of the magnetized rod in the direction of the cam like element and alternate on and off movement of" the contact arm.

2. An actuator for a switch having an overcenter snap acting element movable to two difierent positions of stable equilibrium, a swinging element mounted for oscillatory movement and connected to said snap acting element, said swinging element having a recess surface with two end portions, a bar element engageable with said recess and mounted so as to have reciprocating and oscillating movement, said bar element and said swinging element forming a magnetic couple in which one of the elements is a permanent magnet so that said bar will be attracted to and follow said recess from one end portion to the other end portion of said recess upon movement of said bar, said bar being biased to one position and movable to a second position, alternate movement of said bar against said bias causing alternate movement of said swinging element and said overcenter snap acting element.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,192,531 Kitchen July 25, 1916 1,960,020 McGall May 22, 1934 2,466,292 Wolf Apr. 5, 1949- 2,574,965 Gerber Nov. 13, 1951 2,600,155 Cataldo et a1. June 10, 1952 

